Roving Bridge, Stonehouse

Roving Bridge, view towards Saul(Click on images to enlarge)

Also known as Newtown Bridge. Restored by Cotswold Canals Trust.

This is a narrow brick-built hump-backed roving bridge where the towpath crossed from the north to the south bank of the canal. The original bricks are handmade and of a dark red colour, laid to a fairly irregular bond.

The bridge has an elliptical arch springing from wedge-shaped stone springers and protected by a simple projecting brick dripmould. The stone keystones cut through the drip mould.

The wing walls are built with an inward batter and curve outwards from the arch to end in pilaster terminals. The parapet brickwork is contiguous with that of the wing walls and spandrels rather than being of a separate construction. The parapet is level over the arch and then slopes gently down in a straight line on either side to the ends of the wing walls; it is topped by a coping of bullnosed engineering-brick.